Winter Season Driving Tips

It’s that time of year again! The season has changed bringing cold weather and the biggest holiday celebrations of the year. With the winter season in full affect, we would like to remind the people of all counties of Colorado to practice safe driving during the winter time of year.

There is so much to love with the winter season. However, the conditions make it difficult and dangerous for drivers. In the news, the early snow fall had already caused hundreds of auto accidents and collisions in the greater Denver area. With conditions including snow, sleet and rain, drivers must switch gears for safer and smarter driving.

Unfortunately, harsh Colorado weather conditions do cause accidents even for some of the most cautious drivers. According to the Fort Collins car accident attorneys at Cannon Law, whenever you find yourself in an accident, the first steps are to call medical help or the authorities, if it’s severe. The next step would be to get off the road if it’s possible to then trade information or wait for help to arrive.

Tips for Safe Winter Driving

The key to better driving is to always practice safe and smart driving techniques. The poorer the conditions, the more you might need to apply defensive driving techniques. Here are a few tips on how to drive in the winter weather:

• Be prepared for more and more snow. Colorado law requires drivers to have chains during this time of year. Be sure to have a set of tire chains in your vehicle until the end of May.
• Drive slowly in poor weather conditions. Although this is obvious, drivers should be reminded to be prepared to slow during poor conditions including: rain, fog, snow or gravel. Remember that speeding has caused a large number of crashes
• With speed in mind, if you happen to lose control due to slick roads, best strategy is to gently pump your breaks to avoid locking.
• Only use low-beam headlights in heavy snow weather

DUIs During the Holidays

Finally, we would like to remind drivers to never get behind the wheel after drinking.

According to statistics, the highest yearly volume of DUI related arrests, citations and accidents is within the Thanksgiving weekend and New Year’s Eve. During this period of celebrating and heavy alcohol consumption, 40% of traffic fatalities are caused by a drunk driver.

The most affective way to prevent holiday crashes and fatalities is to always drive sober, especially this time of year when the conditions are bad.

If you were to spot an intoxicated driver, or even a reckless driver showing signs of intoxication, it is recommended to keep your distance, find a safe spot, and report it. Even though it’s a suspicion of intoxication, police will be able to determine if the driver was under the influence or not. If you are involved in a car accident and need legal assistance don’t hesitate to speak to a car accident attorney who can help you figure out your legal options.